Reports: Dubai Art Scene Growing Rapidly

Despite rumbles of economic trouble in Dubai, the art infrastructure in the Middle Eastern emirate is experiencing a dramatic expansion. Last week, the Financial Times noted that decreasing rents were encouraging new art dealers to open galleries there, and now The National reports that the Alserkal Avenue at Al Quoz industrial area, “the UAE’s answer to New York’s West Chelsea and London’s Hoxton,” will double in size. (The area is currently home to galleries like Carbon 12 and the Green Art Gallery.)

The initiative, which will raze old buildings in the area to create new spaces for the art industry, is being financed by entrepreneur Abdelmonem Alserkal, whose family plans to have a private museum in the complex to display its art collection. (The family is also creating an art investment fund.)

It seems that neighborhoods develop in Dubai much as they do in New York and London. Here’s Mr. Alserkal again:

“I know from travelling abroad that businesses are moving out of areas that used to be industrial, that used to be rough, and it is becoming trendy for artists to move in. It gives a nice feel to artists to be in such open spaces in an industrial area.”